Prof. Dr. Ilka Koppel
Language of the lecture: German
Adult education aims to enable social participation and to continuously take current societal developments into account. Dealing with “disruptions” lies at the core of professional adult education practice and is primarily associated with interrupted or non-linear educational trajectories of participants. However, the concept of “disruption” also manifests on various levels of professionalization:
- Pathways into the profession:
The qualification structure of teaching staff in adult education is highly heterogeneous. The majority of educators do not have a formal educational science background (Author Group wb-personalmonitor 2016) and exhibit a wide range of professionalization paths within the field. - Standards and structures:
Uniformly operationalized competence standards have only been able to establish themselves to a limited extent – and can continue to do so only conditionally – due to the changing demands brought about by increasingly rapid societal transformation processes. The profession is shaped by the tension between individualization and standardization, as well as by institutional heterogeneity. - Professional practice:
Using the example of program development (e.g., Schlutz 2006), it becomes evident how openly, flexibly, and interdisciplinarily societal challenges can be addressed. At the same time, this openness also generates uncertainty, contingency (Pacher, 2024), and the breakdown of traditional role allocations.
The presentation therefore explores the questions of where and how disruptions become visible as (structural) challenges, and how they can be used as starting points for learning, development, and research processes.
Literature
Autorengruppe wb-personalmonitor (2016): Das Personal in der Weiterbildung. Arbeits- und Beschäftigungsbedingungen, Qualifikationen, Einstellungen zu Arbeit und Beruf.
Pacher, B. (2024). Professionalität und Professionalisierung in der Erwachsenenbildung: Ungewissheit – Reflexion – Transformation. In U. Elsholz & J. Schütz (Hrsg.), Perspektiven auf Professionalisierung in Beruflicher Bildung, Erwachsenenbildung und Hochschulbildung, wbv Media, 101–114.
Schlutz, E. (2006). Bildungsdienstleistungen und Angebotsentwicklung. Münster: LIT.
Prof. Dr. Ilka Koppel
University of Education Weingarten